Messages

61

Going Pro / Fermentation Temperature Control

« on: May 24, 2013, 10:30:21 am »

I actually did a wrap around 2 at a time. In fact, I put them in a rubber made with some insulation and controlled two at a time that way. I guess, for me, proper temp control is paramount.

62

Going Pro / New opportunity...

« on: May 24, 2013, 10:23:21 am »

+1 to good boots and a change of clothes, all the way down to underwear. Worse burn I ever got at brewery was on my foot, stupidly wearing tennis shoes. Make sure the boots you buy have excellent support. I used to run 30 miles a week but my feet never hurt the way they did standing on concrete for a year in piss poor shoes. You might want to look into some inserts, too.

What boots do you recommend?  I haven't found any that I love.

Definitely a change of clothes and eye protection.

I love the pair I have now. I'll send you the name tomorrow (I think they are called "Rocky" or something, I'm off today). Totally water proof and I can stand in them all day.

I had a pair of Red Wings and they were comfy as hell on concrete but they fell aprt under a year.

63

Going Pro / New opportunity...

« on: May 24, 2013, 08:52:39 am »

I have just taken a new job... as an assistant brewer at a local brewery! I'm taking a fair pay cut to do this, but I am one step closer to my goal of my own brewery.  Any of you pro guys have any advice for a new guy? Do's and don'ts? How not to piss off the head brewer?

Bring all your homebrew recipes, and talk to the head brewer about changing his line-up to match your recipes. 

Bwahahaha!

64

Going Pro / New opportunity...

« on: May 24, 2013, 08:50:26 am »

+1 to good boots and a change of clothes, all the way down to underwear. Worse burn I ever got at brewery was on my foot, stupidly wearing tennis shoes. Make sure the boots you buy have excellent support. I used to run 30 miles a week but my feet never hurt the way they did standing on concrete for a year in piss poor shoes. You might want to look into some inserts, too.

65

Going Pro / New opportunity...

« on: May 24, 2013, 07:13:17 am »

Buy yourself a decent pair of eye protection. Never remove or move chemicals without at least wearing eye protection. A chemical burn on your hands is bad, in your eyes can be life altering.

If the brewery is using plastic kegs be extremely careful and keep the pressure under 40 psi on the keg cleaner.

66

Going Pro / Fermentation Temperature Control

« on: May 24, 2013, 07:09:05 am »

So, back to my earlier advice. The easiest way to have exact temp control is to make the room cold and use a digital johnson or ranco temp controller set to heat and wrap each fermentor with heat wrap and use a thermowell. In my cold room, set at ambient 34 degrees, I can ferment a lager at 50 or a saison at 80. Works like a charm. I used to ferment 3 bbl plastic conicals this way.

67

The Pub / West Sixth vs Magic Hat

« on: May 23, 2013, 07:57:48 am »

Yeah, the point isn't that people know the difference between a 6 and a 9, it's how confusable the identity of the brands are. I highly doubt the defending brewery in question legitimately tried to copy MH design (though, if the designer didn't do it intentionally, he/she most certainly did it subliminally. I have caught myself doing this often. Design something, then realize it looks a lot like another design I had not intended to copy.)

It's not going to matter what 20% of the people think, or that MH makes crappy beer. All that is going to matter is what the attorney shows the judge - and any high dollar attorney worth his salt will easily be able to prove a case here that these brand logos are confusable. 

68

The Pub / Re: West Sixth vs Magic Hat

« on: May 23, 2013, 06:39:44 am »

Maybe it's the engineer in me...

I absolutely agree that's a problem.

69

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Any Hope?? Not much fermentation

« on: May 23, 2013, 05:56:17 am »

I have never had a beer that smelled awful that I could drink. You put your nose in the glass every sip. If you have to hold your nose to drink it you are drinking bad beer. Just sayin'.

70

The Pub / Re: West Sixth vs Magic Hat

« on: May 23, 2013, 05:44:16 am »

As a graphic designer of over 20 years, I can assure you that those two logos are way too close and MH is going to win this law suit. I once got a cease and desist order direct from Harley Davidson's attorney. Highlight of my graphics career, trust me. But all the attorney has to do is show the judge that the two logos can be mistaken as related to each other and the plaintiff wins the case. Sure, If I could have afforded a high dollar attorney I could have made a case. BUt me against HD? Not a chance.

Same story here. And if you don't think those logos are eerily similar you are looking at them through you a$%*H*((.... just sayin....

71

General Homebrew Discussion / Wrong?

« on: May 22, 2013, 03:59:29 pm »

If you enjoy it, it's all good, bro!

72

Yeast and Fermentation / Belle Saison Dry Yeast

« on: May 22, 2013, 08:23:30 am »

Only rehydrate on beers over 1.065. I've pretty much switched my IPA and IIPA over to US-05 because I am using WY1007 on my other styles and I don't care for it as much in IPA/IIPA.

Have you ever used K-97? It's really nice, along the same lines as 1007.

No. I have wanted to, but haven't. I'm working on putting back together my old 1 bbl system as a pilot system. I'm going to have the liberty to try lots of new stuff soon, hopefully. (Well, new to me).

73

Yeast and Fermentation / Belle Saison Dry Yeast

« on: May 22, 2013, 06:20:52 am »

Only rehydrate on beers over 1.065. I've pretty much switched my IPA and IIPA over to US-05 because I am using WY1007 on my other styles and I don't care for it as much in IPA/IIPA.

I've been using the WY saison strain but last winter when I went to make my Saison Noel I was told by WY that it was 4 weeks out. Guess people don't use that strain much in winter, so I'm happy to have a dry yeast option.

74

Yeast and Fermentation / Belle Saison Dry Yeast

« on: May 22, 2013, 04:48:17 am »

Belle Saison is close enough to 3711 for me that I doubt I'll use 3711 ever again. Belle Saison is a beast. My latest super saison finished at 0.996 with plenty of mouthfeel.

Glad to hear that. I have a brick at the brewery that I have been planning to use but been skeered.

75

General Homebrew Discussion / First beer taste

« on: May 22, 2013, 04:45:36 am »

Give it time. I usually check my bottles every week to see what's going on. It might be drinkable at 3 weeks, but I'll never share with friends before 4. 5 weeks is usually perfect, in my opinion (depending on the beer, of course - some may need even more time).

It'll be different depending on your brewing practices and your tastes. Most of my beer is ready to go within 3-4 weeks of brewday. That said, I'm not naturally carbbing.